Officials at the Tri-County Fair sought Tuesday to put an end to speculation about the 2011 headliner, announcing that none other than Blue Öyster Cult will be taking the stage on Friday night, Sept. 2.
“Tickets are not yet on sale for the fairtime concert, but many people have been asking who this year’s band would be,” said Fairgrounds CEO Jim Tatum. “We are so excited to bring back a classic rock concert and we hope everyone comes out to enjoy Blue Öyster Cult.”

Officials at the Tri-County Fair sought Tuesday to put an end to speculation about the 2011 headliner, announcing that none other than Blue Öyster Cult will be taking the stage on Friday night, Sept. 2.
“Tickets are not yet on sale for the fairtime concert, but many people have been asking who this year’s band would be,” said Fairgrounds CEO Jim Tatum. “We are so excited to bring back a classic rock concert and we hope everyone comes out to enjoy Blue Öyster Cult.”
The popular rock group – widely credited with popularizing the gratuitous use of umlauts – got its start in upstate New York in 1972. The band’s hits include “Burnin’ For You,” “Godzilla,” “Don’t Fear the Reaper” and “Astronomy.”
More recently, the band’s name and music were evoked in a legendary “Saturday Night Live” skit starring Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken that gave birth to the “more cowbell” phenomenon. (“I got a fever, and the only prescription … is more cowbell!”)
Past Tri-County Fair classic rock concerts in the Mike Boothe Memorial Arena included those in the early to mid-2000s by Jefferson Starship, Loverboy and Eddie Money.
The concerts appealed to both the Boomer crowed and younger generations.
The Fair switched to a Country-Western format four years ago, drawing such acts as young male ensemble Emerson Drive, former “American Idol” contestant Josh Gracin (twice) and all-female group Stealing Angels.
Blue Öyster Cult will be performing in Bishop in between gigs at the Monterey County Fair and at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Casino in Reno. For more information, visit www.blueoystercult.com, call the Tri-County Fair at (760) 873-3588 or e-mail info@tricountyfair.com.